Just curious...

H

heeha

New Member
Is it even worth it to go to flight school and become a pilot in this "day and age."

I have read so many stories about people who spent a lot of money on flight school only to end up out of a job and disappointed because of furloughs, medical problems, etc. Even Capt. Sullenberger doesn't seem too thrilled with the current direction and status of the airline industry.

To the pilots on this forum:
If you could rewind your life, would you have gone to flight school or would you have just done something else?
 
1. There are more jobs in aviation than just "airline" jobs.

2. Everyone has different levels of acceptance, whats good for you may not be good for me. And of course the other way around. Too many factors to list.

However, that being said, there are paths in aviation that are difficult, and ones I wouldnt want to be subjected to.
 
heeha said:
Is it even worth it to go to flight school and become a pilot in this "day and age."

I have read so many stories about people who spent a lot of money on flight school only to end up out of a job and disappointed because of furloughs, medical problems, etc. Even Capt. Sullenberger doesn't seem too thrilled with the current direction and status of the airline industry.

To the pilots on this forum:
If you could rewind your life, would you have gone to flight school or would you have just done something else?
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I don't think it's worth it. I would suggest doing something else and flying on the side as a hobby. My W-2 said 12k this year with 4 months of unemployment.
 
cpr1202 said:
An airline thats pays for you to get you A/P??? I am working for the wrong airline.
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Airliners are not the only aircraft that need to be worked on. Methinks the world wouldn't know the word aviation if the liners did not exist.
 
Ten years ago if I had known that they industry would be the way that it is now, there is no way that I would become a professional pilot. I would have gone into Pharmaceuticals, accounting, or IT. I would have then earned my Private License and an Instrument Rating and then just flown for fun. If you don't mind getting paid poverty wages, having a poor quality of life, and never being home, by all means become a professional pilot. As for me, I have been there and done that.

In May, I plan to start my training to become a Pharmacy Technician. I don't see how aviation could ever give me the pay and quality of life that I desire. I'm not looking to make millions, but I want a comfortable salary, a decent quality of life, and I would like to be home most nights. I don't think that I will ever find that in aviation.

I agree with Capt. Sullenberger when he said that he would not recommend this career to anyone.
 
As a former 121 pilot I would say "nope" to doing it again. Been there, done that. Everyone says they have a passion for flying, but guess what we all do at some point. You don't get to the right seat of an airliner without a little bit of effort. Those without the fortitude quit early, I mean PVT early. With that being said, it is sad how far the profession has fallen. If an idolized hero like Capt. Sully says it why deny the truth? Denying it just encourages more wide-eyed dreamers to take up that low paying slot that suppresses wages.

The question you need to ask yourself if your thinking of becoming a professional pilot is not do I have a passion for it(everyone would answer yes) but the following; do you have a passion for hotel living, airport food, ungrateful/angry passengers, dragging your luggage around 4-5 days a week, low pay, unstable job and not seeing your friends/family on holidays and weekends? If you can say yes to those things then its the career for you.

Honestly, some people are cut out to be nomads. Not me, I hated sleeping in a different hotel every night, crabby passengers, TSA, low pay and lack of stability. That's not to say others aren't happy and content with it. All former and current pilots know someone that loves their airline career. Heck, I'm happy people enjoy making their lives as professional pilot. Someone needs to fly that plane when I go on vacation with my family...
 
heeha,

You've gotten some good answers to your question. Some guys here, (rightfully so) sound like they are not happy with their flying job. Some others (rightfully so) seem to be quite happy with their flying job.

Aviation involves a lot of different types of flying. Airline, Charter, Freight, Instruction, Air Ambulance, Crop Dusting, and the list goes on and on.

You have to decide which area fits your style and then decide if it is something that you are willing to persue and accept the good and bad that the job has to offer.

Good luck getting it figured out.

PS- Airline pilots aren't the only professional pilots.
 
heeha said:
What about flying freight? Is that also a low wage, high burnout flying job?
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I cant answer that as I'm not a freight pilot. They'll be along shortly, but to me, they seem pretty content with what they do. They do seem to have to walk a little bow-legged.:bandit:
 
I apologize, I am only speaking from a 121 perspective. However, there is other professional flying that is probably alot more rewarding than being a gear monkey. Military, firefighting, etc seem alot more rewarding than flying penny-pinching passengers in my book...
 
as a non 121 or even part 135 pilot, I'd say heck yes!! Go for it! There is life outside the airlines. In my circle of pilots (corporate guys) we fly for smaller companies and individuals. We are home all the time, get paid salaries and have ownership in our planes (we dont own them, but we are the only ones flying them).

Some of my buddies are in aircraft sales and get to fly all the time moving planes, and flying all sorts of planes from King Airs to Citiations. Other buddies fly Cirrus for folks. Others fly for lobbiest and small companies.

I fly a Merlin and am home all the time. Our bosses generaly like being home at night with there families, so we will head out at 7 am and we are back home by 6 or so . . . sure avaition is going to involve you living out of a suitecase from time to time, but that is one of the cool things about it. And yes, it can be a job.
The difference with the type of flying we (folks like me) do and the airlines is
1) we dont go as high
2) We dont fly as fast
3) We are not gone as long
4) We do not have flight attendants
5) We dont have to deal with bad food, or bad PAX
6) What we fly is not nearly as big as the smallest jet in the airlines.

However, if you love is to fly . . . the size doesnt matter (Boy, that's what she said!)

I'd say go for it if that is what you want to do. Keep your current job untill you know for sure this is what you want to do. You can knock out most of your ratings within a year at your FBO while flying parttime.
Good luck, Gods speed!
 
jerrywhite7 said:
as a non 121 or even part 135 pilot, I'd say heck yes!! Go for it! There is life outside the airlines. In my circle of pilots (corporate guys) we fly for smaller companies and individuals. We are home all the time, get paid salaries and have ownership in our planes (we dont own them, but we are the only ones flying them).

Some of my buddies are in aircraft sales and get to fly all the time moving planes, and flying all sorts of planes from King Airs to Citiations. Other buddies fly Cirrus for folks. Others fly for lobbiest and small companies.

I fly a Merlin and am home all the time. Our bosses generaly like being home at night with there families, so we will head out at 7 am and we are back home by 6 or so . . . sure avaition is going to involve you living out of a suitecase from time to time, but that is one of the cool things about it. And yes, it can be a job.
The difference with the type of flying we (folks like me) do and the airlines is
1) we dont go as high
2) We dont fly as fast
3) We are not gone as long
4) We do not have flight attendants
5) We dont have to deal with bad food, or bad PAX
6) What we fly is not nearly as big as the smallest jet in the airlines.

However, if you love is to fly . . . the size doesnt matter (Boy, that's what she said!)

I'd say go for it if that is what you want to do. Keep your current job untill you know for sure this is what you want to do. You can knock out most of your ratings within a year at your FBO while flying parttime.
Good luck, Gods speed!
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One of the best posts and my aviation career "saver." I've been always in love with airplane but working in IT right now. Based on what's going on in the airlines, getting into aviation really does not make sense but...there is a lot of flying goin on beyond airlines...

thanks for your great post!!
 
I would say don't do it. Stay away from aviation. That way if you do stay away, that leaves one less person competing with me in this GREAT CAREER!!!

That said. I hope you follow your dreams. Come join the ranks of struggling pilots and work hard. You may find that you really do love flying and that you will work hard to make the best of it... no matter the situation.

Here is a life theory:
It is best to try something and decide for yourself it was not for you. Then you can reflect back some day with your grand kids or with the other retired folk in the retirement home. You can tell them you tried being a pilot and ir did not work out because of XYZ. But you sure gave it one heck of a shot and enjoyed the experience for what it was worth. Or if it did work out, you can sit there with your pilot cap on telling stories of your life as a pilot.

I can probably tell you this. You don't want to be one telling your grand kids or fellow retirees in the home, "I wish I would have given that a try..."

Oh, and as for me. I love what I do. I made $20k last year working my tail off as a Flight Instructor. I am out of money and will probably for the first time in my life miss a payment for something this year. That scares me a bit. But I know what would scare me more. If I never took the chance to give aviation a chance!!! I may make $100k less than I made in my past career; yet, I would never go back to my past career.

Aviation is my passion It is also my poison. The bill collectors can wait. They will get paid eventually. But the sky. That is my home. And weather my career is as a CFI or a Charter Pilot or a Corporate Pilot (or anything else with some kind of flying responsibility with other things mixed in), I know my soul is at peace finally.

I'm a bad writer. So hope this made sense. I tend to ramble. But the bottom line is. Follow your dream. There is only one way to know if this is the right career for you. Experience it for yourself. If it's bad, learn from it as the experience will mature you. If it's good... :)
 
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